The Result of the Elginshire Enquiry.

Manawatu Herald, 22 March 1892, Page 2

The Result of the Elginshire Enquiry.

On Saturday at Tiraaru after a couple of hours' deliberation the decision of the Court was given as follows:.— Tbe Court having fully considered the evidence, find that the Elginshire took the ground on the coast about-* five .miles south of Timaru, at about a quarter past eight o'clock on the 9th inst., when on her voyage from Oamaru to Timaru ; that a very dense fog came on early in the morning, totally obscuring' the land, and leaving the master of the vessel entirely to his chart for guidance; that- the said chart appears to be very defective in not giving sufficient, information as to sounding The 10 fathoms line is shown at a distance of three miles from the coast, and there is nothing to indicate any danger,"so long as a vessel is not brought .under JLO fathoms, whereas it appears that 10 fathoms are found close to the shore and rocks ;. that from half past -4f o'clock the deep sea lead and afterwards the hand leads were kept constantly going until the vessel struck, the sounding, whieh commenced at 25 fathoms, gradually decreasing to 15, 12, 11 tod 10 ftthoms, at 8

o'clock. ' The Court k of opinion* that at 8 o'clock^ when the land wa» seen and breakers heard, and the course altered to N.E , the sounding* having decreased, the master made* an error of judgement in not altering the course to east so as to go out to sea at right angles to. his former course, although the course he took would, by his reckoning, take him clear of the land. He should also, from time to time, as he changed his latitude, have found the error ofihia compasses, especially as the ElginS shire was a new vessel, whereas he has not done so since the vessel was between Sydney and Kockhampton, thue leaving a doubt as to their cor--rectnoss. The-JCottrt.has..taken inta consideration the evidence as to the deceptive current which appears to exfst ' wherr"W %>^Bsßßr--took the ground. This, with the density of the fog and the deceptive character of the chart, which led him to suppose that he was some considerable distance from the shore, seem to be the only explanations of the casualty, and the Court will take the opportunity of representing to the Government the necessity of a survey of the ooast and the establishing of fog signals. While, therefore, the fiourt considers that the master was guilty of an error of judgment in the navigation of his vessel on the occasion of the change, it cannot say that the casualty had been caused by his wrongful act or default, on the evidence, and therefore return his certificate and that of his officers, but will order him to pay all the costs of the proceedings.— Press Association.